Hey, Rick and everyone,
Where was this mayfly hatching, Rick, and did it emerge as a "contra
imago" (an emerger that looks a lot like a dun but then becomes a "sub
imago" - or dun - AFTER leaving the water)? If in the Northeastern US
as far south as Maryland, I'd jump on the Epeorus genus in a
heartbeat... two tails? If so, it's likely the "Great Whitefly"
hatch, which is a misnomer, as they're not a true white, and their
size - though size 16 or even 12 for the dries - isn't as great as
some other mayflies. In any case, I have some realistic flies that
look just like the spinners, but for fishing the hatch, I use a size
16 up to 12 dry hook with an extended woven- body of 2 strands each
color of white and primrose embroidery thread... I know someone on the
list has great tutorials (was it Tony or Denny?), if not invented the
method, but I honestly forget exactly who it is... in any case, it is
a size 14 or so extended- body parachute in a pale- primrose
coloration. The key thing about 99% (ok, 31 species that live in my
neck of the woods, and 30 of them have this) of whitefly contra imagos
is their deep black eyes. The eyes are large and engorged in the
contra- and sub- imigo stages, but pale to a spring- green/ yellow
coloration in the imago/ spinner fall. For whatever reason, my
parachutes seemed to catch twice as many fish (smallmouth and trout
alike) with mono eyes painted with black permanent marker.
Without seeing the nymph or dun, I am only taking a guess, but from
what you describe, the whitefly hatch is exactly what you are seeing.
I'll see if I can get a picture of my realistic scanned, but as
tomorrow is our 1st year anniversary, I'm thinking I'll be forbidden
from anything having to do with fishing...
I hope this helps you out. If you want other dry patterns, tie a
paler- than- normal "light cahill" parachute style. For the nymph,
any typical mayfly nymph pattern is great, so long as the body is a
rust- brown to orange- red mix. They nymphs are clingers, so I can
get the real deal next time i'm down to fish by simply looking under
the shoreline's rocks.
Welp, I have to get some sleep here - take care and tight wraps,
Pete
